Ben Gurion International Airport, March 1, 2012: The first test of the advanced Arrow 3 weapon system will be performed in the near future, confirming the interceptor missile’s effectiveness. A series of different tests will be run on the system to establish its high level of reliability within a short period. Itzhak Kaya, head of the Arrow missile programme at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), announced this today at the Military & Aviation Exhibition 2012 that was held in Airport City near Tel Aviv.
Kaya said that Arrow 3, the improved model of the Arrow system, using the advanced and upgraded Green Pine radar system, is more capable than ever to deal with future threats. The previous tests of the weapon system, conducted a few weeks ago, were successful. The Arrow weapon system demonstrated improved identification of attacking missiles, ensuring successful target interception with high levels of certainty. Kaya said that “recent tests are being conducted according to the multi-year plan of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and our American partner. The programme is on track, meeting its expectations as a high priority defense system. As far as I know, there is no threat to the future of the programme”. Addressing the possibility of a first export deal of the Arrow system to foreign countries, Kaya said: “Arrow 3 is an exceptionally efficient and unique system, and I am certain that it could answer the needs of various countries and become a key element in their defencee programmes. Currently there isn’t an export deal on the agenda. In any case, such issues would be handled by State officials. Deals of this scale require a prolonged process, and they are guided by governments”.
Is Israel helping us in our BMD program ??
ReplyDeleteWho is using OFB's indian version of MTAR Zittara ?
I want to know about the status of night vision capability available for individual soldier ??
Is Israel helping us in our BMD program?? OF COURSE.
ReplyDeleteWho is using OFB's indian version of MTAR Zittara? NO ONE.
I want to know about the status of night vision capability available for individual soldier?? Gen-3 NVGs are all from HALBIT.
is it possible for pakistan?
ReplyDeleteidrw.org/?p=8896
@PRASUN DA,
ReplyDeleteHey there Sir,how are you??
By the way,when can we expect the 1st part of your article on PLA????We are dying to read that.Please post that asap...................
THANX...........................
Hello Prasun Da,
ReplyDeleteItz nice that Israel is helping our DRDO Xtra Brains in our BMD programme. But why cant India have same type of a Paralel Programme with Russia (or say Bellorussia/Ukraine)like Bramhmos Programme.Antey really does have a good proven BMD Missile like S-300 series, s-400 & now hear of s-500 too. Russian & former soviet republics have good Radar programme too...even Americans through cia gathered Ukranian & Bellorussian Radar tech.Ukrainian “Kolchuga” radar which is further modernized by their Topaz state holding...has worried Pentagon too.Belarussian “Vostok-E” radar is designed for detection of aerial objects, measurement of their range, azimuth and range rate, automatic target tracking, automatic target classification and transmission of radar information to an integrated command and control system. And we ca now capitalize on our new found friend Australia ....in defense feild too rather just going for Uranium to them. Australian Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN)is one of the most sofisticated radar network.Itz ability to detect the new generation stealth air craft have generated interest of Pentagon & UK and they are now investing alot in aussies project through Lockheed Martin & BAEs.
Chinese are benifitted by Russian OTH radar and have posed serious threat to USA Carrier Battle Groups in South China Sea...so itz time for Indian Duds to wake up and cash on old friendz...\
Am no so technical as you are but you can surely focus technically on all issues mentioned above...hope for ur reply
Think Tank.
I completely agree some news that comes out of media is outrageous, misleading and mischievous .
ReplyDeleteBut even if not living in India you have to agree that Media(TV) here is quite powerful and we have to be pleased that someone is reporting stuff which otherwise go unnoticed,as our govn needs a kick in the ass to act.
ANd regarding the headlines today report it is misleading ofcourse but why does chini have to build air base in Great Coco Island to get our guard up , is just its access to them not a cause of worry??
Recent reports also suggest that river water from Tibet may be diverted ... a gov official replied he has no idea what the reason may be for river to be dried up so what can one do...
Sensationalism sells and in India's case it works.
http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/
ReplyDeletePretty scary ...
How many M777 is needed by our armed forces ? 145 looks a little bit less for a forces like IA and especially considering they will be easy to operate in HImalayas.
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening with the new BP jackets ?? Which company is selected for providing IA with new generation BP jackets ???Which model is selected ???
Same goes with the new Assault Rifles and CQB Carbines. Who is the favorite ? When the deal is gonna be signed ?
sir regarding the RCS of SUPER SU30MKI How much it differs from SU35 uptodate version
ReplyDeletehttp://zeenews.india.com/business/news/companies-/disinvestment-of-hindustan-aeronautics-ltd-on-govt_43202.html
ReplyDeleteGood news...this is what you wanted right?
And what r the other +tives?
If this happens will there be any accountability?
I can tell you now the IPO will be definitely under-subscribed :)
http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/companies-/disinvestment-of-hindustan-aeronautics-ltd-on-govt_43202.html
ReplyDeleteGood news...this is what you wanted right?
If this happens will there be any accountability?
And what r the other +tives?
I can tell you now the IPO will be definitely under-subscribed :)
http://m.rediff.com/news/2002/dec/26chin.htm
ReplyDeleteThis is a typical article written by chini.
It at first says that china was forced into war by India and at end expresses +ve outcome by saying hindi-chini bhaibhai themselves...
India should be beware of these people they are much better at deception than we are...dont u think?
To ANURAG: Patience, ol’ chap, for its results will be always be sweet. I was waiting for the release of this so-called ‘hard-hitting report by an independent group of Indian analysts’, called Non-Alignment 2.0: A Foreign and Strategic Policy for the 21st Century, which has warned that China may resort to territorial grabs on India, including through a major military offensive. This report has been co-authored by a group of analysts comprising Shyam Saran, former foreign secretary; Nandan Nilekani; Lt General (retired) Prakash Menon, military advisor to the National Security Council Secretariat; Sunil Khilnani, professor of history at King's College; Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president, Centre for Policy Research; Rajiv Kumar, FICCI secretary general; Srinath Raghavan, senior fellow at CPR; and Siddharth Vardarajan (Editor, The Hindu). Needless to say, none of these ‘distinguished’ personalities even comprehend the meaning of the term ‘fifth-generation warfare’, and hence the totally flawed conclusions of this report. By thw way, here’s what the ‘desi’ media assembled during the event marking the launch of this report didn’t report: the report recommends in writing that India begin questioning China’s sovereignty over Tibet; and that India should actively start arming the Tibetan refugees residing in India and forment armed insurgency within Tibet. Also not reported was a remark made by the former NSA and present Governor of WB, M K Narayanan (I’ve known him since late 1989), to the effect that “having no policy about any particular issue also translates into a strategy”. Now, if such apparently learned personalities can make such remarks, then all I can say about the future of India is: Subhanallah!!!
ReplyDeleteTo THINK TANK: What you’re missing is that India’s BMD programme began way back in 1996 and by 1998 the early-warning elements (Green Pine & Master-A radars) were already contracted for, long before the Russians & Ukrainians & Bellarussians came up with probable alternatives like S-400 or S-500. It also must be noted that India is not a country with pockets as deep as that of China and therefore parallel R & D projects for a BMD network are absolutely out of the question. Regarding OTH-R, the DRDO is already working on this front with the likes of Raytheon (which is a cheaper and superior alternative to the Australian JORN) and I had first highlighted this last December on the thread on the ‘Dissecting the Navy Chief’s Speech: Part-2’. Regarding China’s OTH-Rs, even when they were available in 1996 on Hainan island, they still could not detect the exact location of two US Navy carrier Battle Groups in the South China Sea. It was due to this that China in 1998 began a programme to develop its own network of overhead recce satellites using synthetic aperture radars. Any stealthy aircraft can always be detected by ground-based or airborne radars when operating in the bistatic mode.
To KSK: The ‘desi’ mass-media today is only good for exposing acts of corruption through ‘sting’ operations, and exposing lapses in civic administration. It has yet to negotiate the full curve. That’s why they still haven’t figured out what’s the full quantum of the commissions due from the Bofors FH-77B procurement. What they don’t realise, for instance, is that the commissions paid were just for the 410 FH-77Bs bought off-the-shelf. What is forgotten—either deliberately or out of sheer ignorance—by these ‘desi’ nitwits is that had the 1,000 FH-77Bs been licence-built in India, then commissions would have to have been paid for each unit of such licence-built guns, this coming out of the royalty sum that OFB would have had to pay to Bofors. About Great Coco island, I’m afraid you’re ability to discern is still clouded and you’ve not focused enough on what I stated earlier above, which is: where’s the proof that China has built this air base on that island? Or is it just a civilian airport that was given to a Chinese contractor for implementation on a turn-key basis? If you follow the timelines of this so-called air base, news of this first emerged in the late 1990s. Do you honestly believe that the Chinese will take more than a decade to implement this contract when it could have been done within three years, at most? The same goes for the port that is being built in Sri Lanka with Chinese assistance & Pakistan’s Gwadar Port. Why does anyone straightaway jump to baseless and unproven conclusions about such ports automatically becoming Chinese naval bases? Any port can have berthing & fuel/food replenishment facilities for visiting warships, but that doesn’t convert a port into a naval base. So why this constant harping about such ports masquerading as naval bases? Why does the ‘desi’ mass-media always wander around like headless chicken and make all the wrong noises? Is it because the tongue lacks a bone, resulting in it being wagged like a dog’s tail?
ReplyDeleteNow a new tamasha is being created about the receding water-levels of the Brahmaputra. Will China really be so stupid so as to deliberately disrupt the flow of river waters knowing fully well that this will also cause a disaster in Bangladesh, China’s only other all-weather friend in South Asia apart from Pakistan?
Another nautanki now being played out is about the so-called bugging of A K Antony’s office in Room No104 in South Block by Military Intelligence (MI) reportedly at the behest of Army HQ. Well, if MI was indeed behind the bugging, then how come it was MI itself that was the first to detect the presence of such listening devices in A K Antony’s office? Is there any logic to this line of thought? To me, therefore, this is nothing but an unabashed attempt by HEADLINE NEWS to boost the sales of its latest issue of INDIA TODAY.
To BUDDHA: The Super Su-30MKI, for starters, will have the AESA-MMR in a distributed-array configuration and its two-man aircrew will be capable of engaging in synchronised interleaved operations, whereas the Su-35 won’t be able to do all this since it has a PESA-MMR (Irbis) and is a single-seat combat aircraft.
To SHREE: Partial disinvestment won’t help at all, since the Board of Directors of HAL will still have to seek the MoD’s authorisation for even mundane matters. What HAL needs is to become totally unshackled from the MoD’s control, i.e. from a DPSU into a publicly-listed company in which the Govt of India holds only a ‘golden’ share. Only then will there emerge an independent and autonomous Board of Directors & Management that is fully accountable to its institutional shareholders. Had this been done in the early 1990s itself when the window of opportunity existed (i.e. when there would have been no domestic opposition to such a move), then HAL could have easily tapped the global capital markets to expand whenever the need arose. Consequently, by 1997 the HTT-35 basic turboprop trainer could have entered series-production and replaced the HPT-32, while the HJT-36’s R & D efforts would have borne fruit by 2005 itself and this aircraft could even have been developed from the very outset as an advanced jet trainer, instead of importing the Hawk Mk.132s. At the same time, the single-engined LOH’s R & D efforts could have commenced in 2005 and be concluded by 2009. And by now, the LCH would have entered series-production. But with the kind of partial disinvestment now being touted by the MoD, I see this as being a wasted and futile exercise, and regretablt the MoD is refusing to gets its blinkers off and see the light of day. It is trying to defend the indefensible, not just for HAL, but for all other DPSUs.
ReplyDeleteAS for the Sino-India War of 1962, I’m afraid the Chinese writer is factually right every step of the way. This has also been chronicled in great detail at:
http://www.fnsr.org/Backgrounders/back_india1.htm
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2526/stories/20090102252608400.htm
http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl2319/stories/20061006006512300.htm
http://www.frontline.in/fl2320/stories/20061020001608500.htm
http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2117/stories/20040827000807500.htm
Whenever one delves into history, one must do so & analyse developments through logical reasoning, instead of having a ‘maskshudah’ (brainwashed) & junooni (sentimental) mindset. It is an uncontested fact that India first violated the Panchsheel agreement and also violated her own official recognition of China’s annexation of Tibet when she allowed the Dalai Lama to establish the Tibetan Govt-in-Exile & the Tibetan parliament-in-Exile on Indian territory. It is also a fact that India actively encouraged a covert armed insurgency inside Tibet between 1957 and 1965 and this again ran counter to the Panchsheel agreement. IT is also a fact that ALL weapons and equipment, including motorised trucks/lorries, that were captured by the PLA from the Indian Army during the war were returned in serviceable and functional condition at the same time as the exchange of POWs took place. And lastly, it is also a fact that the IB was totally aware of the Tibet-Xinjiang Highway’s construction since 1956, but it was the late PM Jawaharlal Nehru & his RM V K Krishna Menon that consistently refused to acknowledge the veracity of the IB’s intel appreciation. Bottomline: there’s nothing wrong with being a proud patriot, but don’t ever equate it with zenophobic nationalism.
Napoleon rightly said about the sleeping Chinese dragon awakening and shaking the world. Now the dragon is quite awake. The confrontation with China was/is inevitable and irrespective of whether a rightist or centrist or leftist government is stationed at New Delhi or Peking. However this is not to absolve Nehru/Menon of their faults. China is now behaving like a modernized East India company and the global capitalism has found it as a new tool to prolong their own life and survival.
ReplyDeleteThen how is it that China always eyes Indian territories and claims these were part of China? And if China expects India to peacefully accept China's dominance and annexation of other territories, how is it that the "true friend"and "brother"aligns with a culturally and religiously diverse nation of Pakistan and keeps that nation's anti-India activities alive? How is it China is waging a proxy war with India by arming terrorists, training NE separatists and infiltrating AP and Central India under a Maoist movement? If Nehru waged a war inside China first, how is it he disregarded military build up and development along the Chinese border and refused to engage the IAF? I am only raising questions from an observer's point of view.
ReplyDeleteWhilst some of the Chinese assertions might be right, generally their imperialist global views are comparable to the statement "I shall never again be allergic to my girlfriend's cat". Do we take the CAT literally or do we take it as a euphemism for the "P"word?
ReplyDeleteI agree with your core position that ill informed and zealous nationalism causes more problems than it solves. We Indians often fall into this trap.
ReplyDeleteHowever all the articles referenced by you are from A G Noorani, whose views are often not the most balanced either. It would be wiser to mix a wider set of sources.
While the Nehru government had more than its share of duplicity and blunder leading into the 1962 humiliation china has been extremely calculating and downright oppressive when it comes to protecting its interests esp. in Tibet. The cynical claim to all of Arunachal being a continuing example.
the solution lies in pragmatic adjustments and acceptance of today's control positions and maintenance of the right sort of logistical and military infrastructure to back this position on the ground. That is the only actionable approach.
The past is painful but behind us ... it is the present we need to face with hard headed realism.
Sir, any idea about the contents of 1962 war's Henderson-Brooks report?
ReplyDeleteHi , in a previous comment u had said that all the Mi-17v5 will come equipped with IR jammer. Those which are meant for rear area logistics they will not have even chaff and flare dispensers? Also how many AN-32 s are meant for frontline operations? If during wartime the unprotected Mi-17V5 are needed for frontline duties or troop transport then what will the IAF do? Will it fit them with the IADS?
ReplyDeleteThe problem of India is unique in the sense that it has two avowed nuked enemies on its borders. This is somewhat comparable only to Israel which in no case wants even Iran to get the nukes.
ReplyDeleteRecently there have been talks about NATO and India.........for whom is it more beneficial?
ReplyDeletehello sir,
ReplyDeletehow do the new dedro roti jabji taste.......
where can i get some......i hope you have heard that drdo is now into fast food business.....right???????
http://frontierindia.net/news/basix-aahaar-drdo-dal-roti-pack-for-rs-35/
oh yes one more thing....thanks for these nice informative articles
sir any update on maitri missile please reply...
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@2.39PM: The PRC cannot be faulted for eyeing those territories where no Indian administrative control prevails, as in Aksai China since 1947. The PRC also believes in the dictum “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. If at all China is waging a proxy war with India by arming terrorists, training NE separatists and infiltrating AP and Central India under a Maoist movement, then it is only doing so AFTER India began drawing first blood by supporting the Tibetan insurgency since 1957.
ReplyDeleteTo Pierre Zorin: For as long as India suffers from a self-imposed inferiority complex, she will never be able to talk terms with the PRC as equals.
To Anon@3.47PM: In this case, other than A G Noorani’s well-researched and documented analyses, there’s isn’t any other comparable analyses that is as exhaustive or objective. And what some may view China as being “extremely calculating and downright oppressive when it comes to protecting its interests”, this indeed should be the ‘rajdharma’ of any self-respecting sovereign nation-state. As I had stated a few months ago, post-1947 India has totally forgotten concepts like ‘dharamyudha’ & ‘Arthashastra’ and has instead given discredited credence to bleeding liberalistic & idealistic precepts that do not serve any national purpose.
To Anon@8.42PM: The conclusions of the report mainly point toward the lack of focussed strategic visioning and utter lack of higher defence management, which had a domino effect.
To Soumyadip: O yaar, main DRDO walloh ka foodtaster nahin hoon. That’s why I never get invited for the DRDO’s food-tasting events.
Hey PKS,have you heard the Army chief that IA is now left with just 2 days of ammunition??!!Is it true??And do we really have to import even ammunition??
ReplyDeleteHope to see your reply.
To Anon^^^: It's 2 days of ammo stocks at unit-level, after which one has to dig into the WWRs. It does not mean that the total in-country ammo stocks will last for 2 days only. There are several types of ammo still being imported, especially the missile rounds for the Smerch-M.
ReplyDelete@Prasun da,
ReplyDeleteTHANX for your earlier reply.SORRY for these off topic questions but I need some one reliable and unbiased,so asking you.
1.According to various Indian sources (and very few Pak sources like former PA Armored corps Maj Gen A.H.Amin),during 1965 war Pak army had both qualitative and quantitative superiority in armor and artillery over Indian Army;yet majority of ex PA officials have stated that IA had 'overwhelming' numerical supeority over them in armor and arty-which one is correct as per you??
2.Again majority of Pak authors have claimed that in term of infantry,IA had out numbered PA by more than 5:1 ratio!!Don't you think it's a bit over exaggrated??
3.It was also reported that by 22nd September,PA had used up 85% of its ammunition reserve-was it true?
And what's their present situation-how long can they continue a war at present as per you??
4.Some sources have reported that during 1965,then army chief Gen J.N.Chowdhury had told Mr Shashtry that IA was running very low on ammo when infact they couldn't even use 10% of their total ammunition reserve!!-Is that real??How could an army chief
be that much ignorant??!!
And how long IA can continue a war in present days??
5.According to some Mr Mehmood Shaam,Pakistan had captured some 2000 sq km of Indian land-I wanted to ask where??And how much pak land IA was able to capture??
6.And lastly,most Pak people still believes that Pak won the 1965 war (quite evident from articles by various ex pak army officers and members of various online defence forums),but as far as I was able to understand with my little brain,it was more of a stalemate.What according to you was the outcome of 1965 Indo Pak war??
PLEASE try to reply.
THANX in advance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To ANURAG: Here are the answers:
ReplyDelete1) The Pakistan Army had both qualitative and quantitative superiority in armour and artillery over Indian Army. In fact, the former had raised two armoured divisions by 1965.
2) In terms of infantry forces, the two sides had operational parity. One must take into account that the 10 Indian mountain divisons raised after 1962 could not be deployed against Pakistan as they were China-specific.
3) That’s true. Pakistan’s war wastage reserves were on paper supposed to last for 28 days, as opposed to 45 days for the Indian Army. Their present-day war reserves can sustain only a 7-day period of all-out war.
4) You must understand that by 1965, the Indian Army was still a growing force and had yet to reach maturity in terms of conducting multiple Corps-level operations. Therefore, there were several organisational lapses at that time. That is why it was a very daunting task for the Indian Army to exchange/switch divisional-sized formations within its various Corps-level theatres of operation. The Pakistan Army, in contrast, was far more flexible as it had benefitted from superior higher command-level training imparted by the US Army (since Pakistan was a member of the SEATO & CEDNTO) pacts. The Indian Army did not enjoy similar benefits since its officers continued to be trained in the UK. Furthermore, the US-supplied command, control & communications systems/networks of the Pakistan Army were quite superior to those used by the Indian Army. Only by 1971 could the Indian Army attain a fair degree of maturity and organisational proficiency in terms of conducting multiple Corps-level operations.
5) Pakistan made territorial gains in the Shakargarh Bulge and Khem Karan sector in 1965, while India had captured the Haji Pir Pass.
6) Militarily, Pakistan lost the 1965 war, plain and simple. Had it won, then Field Marshal Ayub Khan would have continued to remain in power. The mere fact that he subsequently abdicated in favour of Gen Yahya Khan proves that both OP Grand Slam & OP Gibraltar—the brainchild of Ayub Khan—were tactically brilliant, but went disastrously wrong at the strategic-level.
Dear Prasun-
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your response to anon@3.47 pm... the one about Rajdharma and Dharmayudha and Arthashastra. Very clearly and concisely said with no punches held back. Yes, the core function of any government is calculative, visionary and strategic protection of its national interests and its people. Our post independance leadership completely lost its way, forgot our own historical philosophy as laid out by the Arthashastra etc.. and yes, totally gave in to idealistic grandstanding and posturing which no one gave a f- - - about. And so the lost decades.
While I dont like what China does to us, I admire the sheer pragmatism and dogged pursuance of their goals. I wish our leadership had just 25% of those balls and vision and execution capabilities.
And sadly, our leadership across parties have not yet woken beyond narrow political walls to actually provide leadership to the nation..
And as for our national inferiority complex... spot on. Except for those grandiose but quite empty announcements like "India shining" and those regualrly coming out of DRDO.
You should write more on this topic, please.
@Prasun Da,
ReplyDeleteA lot of THANX to you for taking the trouble to reply.But I still need to know few things-
1.How could the then army chief make such a mistake that he told the prime minister they were running out of ammo when infact they couldn't even use 10% of their ammunition reserve??Isn't it awkward??
2.For how long can India sustain an all out war at present depending on the present WWR??
3.Other than the Hazi pir pass,India also managed to capture lands in the plains-do you know where and what might be the size of area captured by IA??
4.And lastly,few days ago in an article the Nagan was described as a 'VLF sonar'-I wonder what's that??Is it something between the LF and ULF sonar or ignorance by the desi reporter??
PLEASE try to reply.
THANX in advance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prasun,
ReplyDeleteHow many SOCs does the RMAF have?
Are all the SOCs linked to the air defence HQ at Sungei Besi?
The IADS HQ at Butterworth. Does the air picture provided to the IADS cover the whole country or only the northern region?
Lastly, when there are no FDPA exercises, what does the RAAF head of the IDS HQ and his staff from all 5 countries do on a daily basis?
Are any of the Marconi S-60 radars still in service.
Thank you, Fariz.
Why Mirage-2000's have so suddenly started following the path of old Mig-21,s. Why can not they have patience for their costlier contracted up-gradation.
ReplyDeleteThe sudden consequential fault again statistically appears to be some maintenance problem.
Hi Prasun, can u pls tell the cause of the recent Mirage 2000 crashes? 2 jets crashed within 10 DAYS? Are there any evil elements at work? is this sabotage since both the jets were from Gwalior base? what is the standard procedure followed by the IaF AFTER ANY OF ITS FIGHTER crashes? Doesn't the IAF conduct a step by step inspection of every part of the jet? Now the no of jets has reduced to 49. So is the the IAF considering attrition replacement? Also in your previous thread u said that IDAS comes as a standard fit from the OEM on every copter. so why this is not the case with the MiL Mi-17V5 from Ulan Ude? pls reply.
ReplyDeletewhat is the speed of astra missile mach 2 or 4?,some parts of astra are manufactured in brahmos plant trivandrum
ReplyDelete,during an excibition,the scientist stands behind the astra missile's case said to me that it's speed is less than brahmos,what does that mean
Hey Prasun have you heard about Rheinmetall Air Defence being blacklisted ??? Does this mean Skyshield is also facing the same fate like Bofors or Bhim ??? Or the production will continue ??
ReplyDeleteAlso why are Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd. (STK) and Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI) being blacklisted again ??? Will this effect any deal ???
Zurich, M/s Corporation Defence, Russia (CDR) , M/s TS Kisan & Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi and M/s RK Machine Tools Ltd., Ludhiana are also blacklisted. What are their products ?
Are we gonna make wheeled PSG 155mm artillery or we are gonna purchase them ? If we are purchasing then how many and who is the favorite ?
What will be the real impact of this blacklisting!
ReplyDeleteHey just thought I'd share, FIRST EVER (that I've seen) vids of IN MARCOs training:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3Euv8VNN9L4#!
Prasun and all visitors here please enjoy. Comments from Prasun would be good (also if you know of any similar vids).
Will the IMI's blacklisting effect the procurment of Tavor to India even though they are manufactured by IWI? If so what will Indian SOFs do? Procure other advanced assault rifles? Same with all the CAPFs with TAR orders.
ReplyDeletehi Prasun,
ReplyDeleteWht is ur thought about this latest piece frm Ajai Shukla
http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/2012/03/dragon-soup-for-indian-soul.html
I think 1 or 2 points r valid specially about Indian defense mindset and Indian defense industry.
Thanks
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why didn't the US get after Chinese communism like they did to the USSR? Like Charlie's war had they persisted they could have gotten rid of the communism; a democratic China is in everyone's best interest.As it stands the Red Capitalism China calls communism is there to stay for ever and by making claims on foreign territories it can manipulate internal murmurings.Bribery, corruption and misadministration in China matches India, the difference is decision making where a dictatorial regime can implement a decision without any opposition or disagreement compared to India where people have freedom of speech - they have it too much and often to fulfil their self interests instead of the nation's.It is here India falters otherwise how does a country which was at the peak of civilisation now needs to learn the basic abc's of technology?
ReplyDeleteUS knew from the very beginning that China is not communist, but in the garb of communism it actually is a philosophy of Han supremacy Fascism. Pakistan intelligently and secretly exploited this situation and under the ping-pong diplomacy created his own bridge between US and the Red Dragon during 1975. Since then the whole world has been hanging on to this bridge unintentionally in one way or the other.
ReplyDeleteTo Heberian: very many thanks. One BBC documentary related to this topic that I would recommend is: China’ Capitalist Revolution at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku76TVslBGI
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, for the Project 75I submarine-building programme there was never any clamour from anyone to allow the private-sector shipbuilders to become prime contractors. The private-sector shipbuilders are more interested in two things: First, playing a part in the construction of two of the four LPHs; & supplying the bulk of the 40 commercial vessels that are required every year by Indian shipping companies. Right now, Indian shipbuilding firms can hardly supply eight commercial vessels per annum. For Project 75I, it is best that MDL remain as the prime contractor as it makes no sense to create duplicated submarine fabrication infrastructure anywhere else. Larsen & Toubro, on the other hand, has its hands full with fabrication of the S-3, S-4 & S-5 SSBNs, and is also likely to be involved with the programme for fabricating SSNs with the help of French expertise.
To Anurag: Who ever said that the then COAS made a mistake? It was the mistake of the then Director of Logistics at Army HQ. Had the Govt of India actively supported the efforts of TIFR to develop digital supercomputers since 1952, the inventory management efforts of all the three services would have been much more effective. In 1965 there was this breathtaking expansion of the Army in order to wage a two-front war and therefore such mistakes were only to be expected. Presently, India can sustain a single-front campaign that is fought for at most a two-week period. I already mentioned earlier above the names of areas captured by India in 1965. Nagan is the VLF dunking sonar for the Dhruv ALH meant for the Project 28 ASW corvettes.
To FARIS: RMAF’s existing SOCs are at Bukit Puteri in Kuantan; Bukit Jugra in Banting; Senai, Johor; Butterworth; Labuan & Bintulu. Future ones will come up in Kota Kinabalu & Sandakan. All SOCs are networked to the new HQ coming up in Dengkil. IADS HQ in Butterworth covers the airspace & ADIZ of both Peninsular Malaysia & Singapore. IADS HQ works 24/7, and not just during FPDA exercises. IADS HQ is also networked with the JATC in Changi, which is manned by both RSAF & RMAF officers. All S-60s have been decommissioned.
To Mr.RA 13: It does seem to be a problem with the lack of predictive maintenance, given the fact that the Mirage 2000 does not have an on-board health & usage monitoring system. But the flight data recorders & cockpit voice recorders should provide vital clues on probable clauses. An in-flight flame-out usually takes place due to either malfunctioning fuel-pumps or malfunctioning engine ignition systems (as in the case of MiG-21s, MiG-27Ms, Jaguar IS, & MiG-29B-12s) or malfunctioning full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC) in case of aircraft like the Mirage 2000 or Su-30MKI. Other remote possibilities are that of the engine suffering from foreign object damage like bird ingestion, or the aircraft’s on-board batteries failing to deliver power to the FADEC. Batteries have been known to malfunction due to sudden temperature changes, and it remains to be discovered whether the crashed aircraft was sitting out in the apron all day under the sun, or was it under a storm shelter.
To Anon@6.34PM: Out of the 52 Mirage-2000Hs and seven Mirage-2000THs originally delivered, only 49 now remain, of which only five are tandem-seaters. This will cause problems with operational conversion until attrition replacements are purchased. There’s nothing to raise suspicions of any form of sabotage. In the case of Russia-origin helicopters, items like IDAS are quite new and Russia-designed IDAS have thus far only been installed on the Ka-52 & Mi-28NE. Eventually they will go on the Mi-17V-5s but at the time of contract signature for both the Iraqi & Indian Mi-17V-5s, such IDAS suites were not available from Russian OEMs.
ReplyDeleteTo Akash: The launch speed of Astra BVRAAM is between mach 0.4 & Mach 2.2. The missile’s cruise speed is not yet known since it has not yet been fired from any combat aircraft. Inert rounds have only been dropped, but not fired.
To Anon@8.31PM & Mr.RA 13: The blacklisting only applies to dealings with OFB, meaning all licenced-manufacturing deals on the pipeline (and not those already underway) will be cancelled. This means the OFB factory in Nalanda, Bihar, which is already delayed by a decade, will be further delayed. This facility was to have built bi-modular charges for 155mm howitzers with IMI’s expertise. However, direct off-the-shelf procurements from these non-Indian OEMs will continue. IMI will also continue working with the CVRDE on the Arjun Mk1A/Mk2 programmes. IMI’s remote-controlled weapons station using a FLIR sensor & 0.50-cal MG is on these MBTs. The Skyranger deal is with TATA Motors & TATA Power SED, not with OFB. M/s TS Kisan & Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi and M/s RK Machine Tools Ltd., Ludhiana, were shown exceptional preference as vendors for the Arjun MBT programme by the former MoS for Defence Production & Supplies Rao Inderjit Singh.
To KSingh: The title, though, says CISF commandos.
To Spanky’s Blog: It’s too late now. The lead taken by China in military industrialisation can never be matched by India, period. And as I had stated earlier, the defensive mindset stems from A) unflinching adherence to Gandhian pacifism even in matters of realpolitik; and B) total disregard to India’s glorious heritage inclusive of the concepts of Dharamyudha & Arthashastra.
To Pierre Zorin & Mr.RA 13: Watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku76TVslBGI
Bottomline: A true leader is one who can take difficult decisions without any difficulty.
Thanx Prasun for all the reply...
ReplyDeleteYou said a couple months back that you were planning an article on FINSAS program, when is it gonna be published ??
Also its been along time, can you post the picture of arjun mk2 and Arjun Mk1A ?? Earlier you said are asked to not publish it.
which glorious indian tradition? or is it in same context as european tradition? These things only have practical meaning when the context is real like...eg in the glorious Sikh tradition!
ReplyDelete@Prasun Da,
ReplyDeleteWHAT!!!!Just 14 days!!!!Is it enough????
And do you know if PRC has managed to develop and UHF sonar for PLAN ships and subs??
THANX in advance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
sir what is your opinion of Russian possible decision of selling Su-35 to china and its effont on India
ReplyDeleteHi PRASUN, 1. When a fighter jet engine suffers a flameout in mid air, is it not possible to reignite it? U said that the batteries associated with FADEC can malfunction due to changes in temperature . Then why no efforts is being done to thermally isolate the battery set or use a different battery which is invulnerable to the temperature changes. Next the Russians are known for designing and fielding very hardy equipment which are can withstand the harshest weather conditions and still keep on working. The Russians didnt have many storm shelters like the US. They used to keep their jets out in the open. Then I think a very similar strategy has been followed with the Sukhois. Next if keeping a Mirage out in the sun could have caused such a component failure then why hasn't any accident occurred during so many years of it's service? They must have kept the Mirages out in the open sun on many occasions. Next u said that the enfines may have suffered damage due to bird strikes or foreign object ingestion but according to Fedaral aviation safety rules or something like that all engines are so designed that can take the damage of a bird strike and keep on running. Also will India Seek replacement of the downed birds ? 2. When the IAF goes to buy a second batch of Mil Mi-17v5 next year then will it go for the on onboard IDAS suite? Also I think the IAF will fit all of it's Mil MI-17v5 with IDAS and the Elbit MUSIC Ir jammer to provide protection from today's emerging threats. Also I think they will all be fitted with some EO pod built into the nose. These helos carry a weather radar. How does it help them in navigation? Does it provide them with a detailed picture of the terrain in front of them.? Pls reply.
ReplyDeleteHi, the IAF bought the C-130J for the SF element of the IA. Then why didn't it go for the MC-130J version which is specially suited for Special forces ops. Are these C-130 J fitted with any sort of IR jammer? Also are the Special forces of the IA as trained as the Green Berets . Seals and the SAS? Are they divided into groups like that in the SAS with some specializing in mountain warfare , some in underwater operations , jungle warfare,etc or they are trained to do all of the above? Do they get extensive training in airdrop techniques like HAHO, HALO? Can they jump from a high altitude ac, open their parachute , and glide and navigate their way through the air for 60-70 Km deep inside enemy lines? Are they extensively trained in sabotage of critical enemy communication equipment and weapons such as ballistic and cruise missiles guided portion? Can they conduct deep and covert recon and are they experts in infiltration and exfiltration? Can they be compared to the Soviet Spetsnaz and the elite Vympel group?Are they expert marksmen? PLs shed some light on their capabilities.
ReplyDeleteTo ANURAG: 14 days is a luxury nowadays. According to Indian Army HQ, any full-blown international conflict involving India will not last more than 10 days, at most, since international intervention will follow and there will be severe pressures for a ceasefire after 10 days. So why the need for stocking up arms and ammo for waging a war that’s not going to drag on for 30 or 45 days?
ReplyDeleteTo Buddha: I had first written about it in my MAKS 2009 show report at http://trishulgroup.blogspot.com
These Su-35s will come equipped with the Irbis-E PESA-MMR, which China has being eyeing for a long time.
To Anon@1.15AM: How can an engine be re-ignited in mid-air if the engine ignition system itself foes kaput? All batteries in the world are vulnerable to temperature changes. Russia-origin aircraft are built to withstand the harshest weather conditions and still keep on working, PROVIDED such conditions do not include high humidity and corrosive environments of the kind found in India. Yet, Russian aircraft have from time to time had corrosion problems even inside Russia. Out of the 59 Mirage 2000s ordered, only 49 remain, and barring the first air-crash, all others have been lost due to technical malfunctions. Such malfunctions don’t occur in random, but due to gradual degradation of hardware through wear-and-tear. The FAA guidelines you’re referring to relate to big turbofans for commercial airliners and transport aircraft, not combat aircraft. As I had stated before, only a third of the IAF’s Mi-17V5 fleet will be equipped with IDAS. A weather radar is not a terrain-following radar. MC-130J is USAF-specific and is not meant for export. All IAF C-130J-30s have MAWS as part of the IDAS suite. These aircraft are the very first in the IAF to have such hardware on-board. The suite includes AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, AN/ALR-56M Advanced Radar Warning Receivers, AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing Systems, AAQ-22 Star SAFIRE III Special Operations Suites, ALQ-211 Suite of Integrated Radio Frequency Countermeasures, AN/ARC-210 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS), Secure Voice Very High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency Radios, KIV-119 Non-standard Communication/COMSEC equipment’ & ARC-210 Non-standard Communication/COMSEC equipment. The 10 C-17As will have AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing Systems and AN/AAR-47Missile Warning Systems.
Why our leaders are so callous about the country's defense, especially when we have never ceased to be a victim of state and state-sponsored aggression from multiple fronts? ...Even America is a representative democracy with each President being elected for 4 yr terms, but that had never stopped them from making long term investments for nation's defense. This sort of indifference towards our security is making our youth detracted from seemingly 'weaker' democratic set-up and fascinating them to the fascist-inspired authoritarian propaganda of 'Hindu' nationalist parties..
ReplyDelete@Prasun Da,
ReplyDeleteVMT for your reply.
Yeah,but you told that that 14 day WWR is for a single front campaign,but what if India has to fight a two front war????Taking that in mind,don't you think India should expand its WWR????
THANX in advance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How can India's BMD program (Phase 1 + Phase 2) be compared to Arrow, Patriot, THAAD and S-300-500 family in terms of range, accuracy etc? Also, why is Akaash often compared to Patriot? Isn't it just a short/medium range SAM while Patriot is a 150-300 km ABM?
ReplyDeleteYou had earlier said that FINSAS is only about the network and not rifles, NVGs, helmets etc. Then what about procurement of next gen rifles and all? Are we going to depend on imports or is their any dedicated program by DRDO?
How does the budget constrains affect long term indigenous programs like BMD, Aura, Amca, IMRH, FICV etc? Have all these programs been put on halt or are they showing some progress?
Thanx PrasunDa for giving a detail on BMD & OTH radar.
ReplyDeleteDon't know if you noticed but a popular defense blog similar to yours has twice now mentioned about discrepancies in MMRCA selection.
ReplyDeleteThe twitter feed might appear as innocent news but, it seems to create a perception of wrongdoing - [given the bunglings of the current government].
You do get the feeling that a small chunk of that 280 mil pound yearly British aid will go to some well deserved and "needy" broadcast media outlet.
Prasun - ''IADS HQ is also networked with the JATC in Changi, which is manned by both RSAF & RMAF officers.''
ReplyDeleteSorry Prasun, I don't get it. Are you saying that Changi is provided with a radar feed of the whole of Malaysia via RMAF radars up north? And that IADS HQ at Penang has a radar feed of Singaporean airspace provided by Singaporean radars? Also what does 'JTAC' stand for?
In the past, there was only a single Malaysian at Changi to help coordinate SAR flights thathad to enter Malaysian airspace.
Hi Prasun,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply. But dont you think if we make an honest effort we can catch up with China in the next 20-30 yrs.China's defense industry achieved this in the last 20 yrs only. They are still not as advanced as US industries. So I think We may be able to catch up if we put some concentrated and honest effort from government,OFBs and private industries. Whts your view?
Also can you plz let us know whts the status of the MSMC. We heard a lot abt it then it simply vanished frm news.Looking at the design you can say that its the 1st proper visually good looking product coming out of Indian ordinance factories.
Thanks
Hi , in a previous comment u had said that all the Mi-17v5 will come equipped with IR jammer. Those which are meant for rear area logistics they will not have even chaff and flare dispensers? Also how many AN-32 s are meant for frontline operations? If during wartime the unprotected Mi-17V5 are needed for frontline duties or troop transport then what will the IAF do? Will it fit them with the IADS? Also in other airforces all the helos have adequate protection from missiles and have IDAS fitted onto them. How can u be so sure that only a third will be fitted? Afterall the IDAS and the MUSIC system don't cost much. It is awkward to fit only a part of the fleet. Pls reply.
ReplyDeleteTo ANURAG: Even a two-front high-intensity war won’t last for more than 10 days. Secondly, you ought to read INTO the recent story about the Indian Army’s depleting stocks of frontline ammo. The story talks only about the western front, meaning the ammo stocks reqd for the eastern front are more than adequate. The northern front is totally different ballgame as the nature of warfare to be fought there has totally changed, as I had explained earlier about China’s war-plans for eastern Ladakh. What is reqd for the northern front is not additional stocks of ammo, but totally new types of weapon systems.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@9.16AM: You’re right, the DRDO-led BMD programme cannot be compared to those of other countries. And why is Akash often compared to Patriot? Because throughout the late 1980s and 1990s the DRDO kept claiming that the Akash will have a track-via-missile terminal guidance mechanism just like that of the Patriot, and the truth came out only after 2001 when it was finally revealed that the Akash will have a command line-of-sight guidance mechanism. For next-generation rifles, imports are the preferred option, since global RFIs have already been floated. Lastly, when there are financial constraints on defence spending, the axe will always first fall on indigenous R & D programmes, just as was the case in the 1990s.
To Anon@4.38PM: Are you referring to this: Indian MoD officers felt Dassault understated Rafale's lifecycle cost in MMRCA bid
If that’s the case, then it doesn’t mean anything at all, since ‘feelings’ and ‘suspicions’ can at best only rely on circumstantial evidence. Unless there are grounds beyond reasonable doubt, there’s nothing to suspect foul play. As for the ‘needy’ broadcast media outlet, yes, it is always sniffing, as it ought to, but often ends up with the un-truth, like how it recently spun a web of intrigue about the MI ‘bugging’ the RM’s office, while missing the woods for the trees. Take for instance the story about TATRA & VECTRA-KAMAZ. A simple search will reveal the following:
1) How does one explain the UK-based VECTRA Group’s dealings in India with TATRA AS of the Czech Republic, when it is BEML that is the sole distributor of TATRA vehicles in India? See: http://www.vectragroup.com/contact.asp
Does it mean that BEML and the VECTRA Group have a financial understanding under which VECTRA collects royalty payments from BEML for every unit of TATRA vehicles sold in India, and then shares such payments with certain Indian citizens possessing offshore savings accounts?
2) How come the VECTRA Group’s helicopter charter service is the ONLY one that has been granted permission to operate out of Greater NOIDA?
3) Isn’t it true that this helicopter charter service is also the unofficial agent/promoter in India of the Eurocopter AS.550C3 LOH/LUH?
4) Is there any connection between an Indian by the name of Ravinder Rishi (see: http://www.vectragroup.com/newsletter-jan12/Message-From-The-Chairman.html) and HAL?
5) Is it true that the VECTRA Group had hired two retired senior service officers (they're brothers) abiout four years ago for actively lobbying for the AS.550C3s?
To FARIS: Not Changi, but IADS HQ in Butterworth is provided with a radar feed of the whole of PENINSULAR Malaysia & Singapore and their ADIZs via both RMAF & RSAF radars. JATC stands for joint air traffic control centre. There is still only a solitary RMAF liaison officer at Changi to help coordinate SAR flights that have to enter BOTH Malaysian airspace & RMAF’s ADIZ.
ReplyDeleteTo Spanky’s Blog: It all boils down to what’s your definition of ‘concentrated & honest effort’. If you mean the kind of efforts put in by China over the past 20 years under which most of the state-owned enterprises were privatized or transformed in to publicly listed corporate entities (like AVIC), then some kind of redemption is possible. But if one persists with half-hearted measures like partial disinvestment, then only disaster awaits the DPSUs. As for the MSMC, I guess it will reappear once more at the DEFEXPO expo later this month.
To Anon@5.28PM: All the Mi-17v5 will come equipped with wiring & fitments reqd to host an IR jammer and all Mi-17V-5s will have on-board countermeasures dispensers. But only those Mi-17V-5s tasked with armed air-assault missions will be fitted with RWRs & MAWS & FLIR turret. If during wartime the unprotected Mi-17V5 are needed for frontline duties or troop transport then what will the IAF do? It will do exactly what it did in mid-1999 in Kargil, and after suffering attrition loses, will cease to use them in that manner. A comprehensive IDAS suite accounts for roughly half the cost of a Mi-17V-5. It is NOT awkward to fit only a part of the fleet. This is a global practice.
Prasun,
ReplyDeleteWhen the Soviets first invaded Afghanistan, were any of their Mil-8s/Mil-17s fitted with flare launchers or where they only fitted after the Afghans received the Blowpipe some years later?
When a customer buys the Cougar, NH-90, S-70, etc, are flare launchers standard fit or do they have to be bought separately?
Do you which company supplied the IR jammers that are fitted to the Malaysian army's A-109s?
Are you aware of any Western or Russian made ASMs that have 'home on jam' seekers fitted?
In last months 'Air Forces Monthly, it's mentioned that the Greeks found out that their newly delivered NH-90s have a very weak cabin floor. At a Greek air show, women with high heels were not allowed in a NH-90 because the floor had previously been damaged by high heels!!
Hi , in a previous comment u had said that all the Mi-17v5 will come equipped with IR jammer. Those which are meant for rear area logistics they will not have even chaff and flare dispensers? Also how many AN-32 s are meant for frontline operations? If during wartime the unprotected Mi-17V5 are needed for frontline duties or troop transport then what will the IAF do? Will it fit them with the IADS? Also in other airforces all the helos have adequate protection from missiles and have IDAS fitted onto them. How can u be so sure that only a third will be fitted? Afterall the IDAS and the MUSIC system don't cost much. It is awkward to fit only a part of the fleet. Pls reply.
ReplyDeleteHi Prasun,
ReplyDelete"Had the Govt of India actively supported the efforts of TIFR to develop digital supercomputers since 1952, the inventory management efforts of all the three services would have been much more effective"
This is interesting.Could you elaborate more Prasun?
To FARIS: Initially, only the Mi-24s were fitted with integral Adros T-32S countermeasures dispensers. Only after the Blowpipes & Strella-7Ms started arriving did the Mi-8Ts start getting fitted with Vympel’s UV-30MK flare dispensers. By 1986 all Mi-24s & Mi-8Ts were fitted with Adros KT-03UE IR jammers. For present-day Western military helicopters, the IDAS suite is standard fit, not an optional item. Malaysian Army A-109s are fitted with MAWS and IR jammers from Avitronics of South Africa. The Kh-31A ASCM has home-on- jam features.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@11.35PM: Those which are meant for rear area logistics they will not have even chaff and flare dispensers? ALREADY REPLIED ABOVE.
Also how many AN-32 s are meant for frontline operations? About 30.
To Anon@2.45AM: Already did that before in a previous thread late last year. There’s even a DVD available about this development that’s available locally. ITFR & the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) had jointly developed such a supercomputer in support of Prof Mahalnoblis’ macro-economic planning efforts in the early 1950s.
Hi, when the Mil Mi-8 of the Soviet airforce were fitted with IR jammers why didn't the IAF go for such jammers on it's Mil Mi-8 and 17? Also are the Mil Mi-24/35 of the IAF equipped with any IR jammer and IDAS suite? How many Mil Mi-24 and 35 are currently in service with the IAF? I have also heard that the MiG-27 s of the IAF are fitted with a IR jammer , Hot Brick. Is this true and if it is then how effective are these jammers? Also why no effort is being taken to developed a compact DIRCM jammer for the fighter jets? Pls reply.
ReplyDeletehey Prasun,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reply again.
For MSMC I actually wanted to know if the IA has shown interest in it? Has IA done trial for it?If yes then whats their feedback?
As far Indian Defense Industry goes do you think JVs between DPSU and private industries would be beneficial just like the JV between Mazagaon docks and Pipavav? Will it help the private industries to absorb up some technologies?Or direct competition between DPSUs and private industry would be much better option (on a level playing field of course)?
Hi Prasun,
ReplyDeleteThe following post claims that Nirbhay is a cruise missile and loitering missile. so is is basically a loitering cruise missile?IS it really to be test fired in April? I thought there r looking at 2012-2016 time frame for testing?
http://idrw.org/?p=8990
US Navy got their first P-8A. http://bacajela.blogspot.com/2012/03/boeing-delivers-1st-p-8a-poseidon.html
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@12.22PM: The IAF’s Mi-25s & Mi-35Ps were from the very outset fitted with the Adros KT-03UE IR jammers—what you call Hot Brick.
ReplyDeleteTo Spanky’s Blog: The original news item on the Nirbhay was published by THE HINDU at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article2968219.ece
Now let us analyse the news item in detail. Firstly, the report claims that “the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO facility in Bangalore, has designed Nirbhay, the equivalent of Lakshya, which is a pilotless target aircraft developed by the ADE”. Now, if Nirbhay is the equivalent of the Lakshya, does this then mean that both are PTAs? Secondly, the report claims that the Nirbhay is India's equivalent of Tomahawk. If that’s the case, then was the Tomahawk ever used as a PTA? In other words, the reporter screws up big time by comparing the Nirbhay to both the lakshya PTA and Tomahawk T-LAM. Thirdly, the reporter claims that Nirbhay is a two-stage, surface-to-surface missile. If that’s the case, then why should CEMILAC integrate the Nirbhay with the Su-30MKI, as I had proven earlier by uploading a poster of CEMILAC’s activities? Fourthly, the report claims that the Nirbhay has a second-stage propulsion system using a turboprop engine, akin to an aircraft's. If indeed that’s the case, then can you identify any other existing loitering cruise missile anywhere in the world that uses a turboprop engine? Which R & D entity in India has developed such a turboprop engine, or even its laboratory model? And when carried by a Su-30MKI, what will happen to the turboprop engine’s propellers? Will they be folded?
Now, here’s what we know are the facts. Firstly, the Nirbhay will be powered by the NPO Saturn-built 36MT turbofan. Secondly, the ADE was never into developing any kind of long-range precision-guided munition or guided-missile, since such weapons are developed only by the ASL. ADE’s mandate—written in black-and-white—is only to develop UAVs and PTAs. It therefore does not possess the in-house core technological competencies to develop long-range cruise missiles. Thirdly, even loitering cruise missiles liked the MSOW/Delilah are powered by turbojets, and not turboprops, while CALCMs like the Taurus/KEPD-350 and Tomahawk T-LAMs are turbofan-powered. Fourthly, if the DRDO had succeeded in developing an indigenous turboprop engine, then by now it would have already gone to town claiming that the Rustom-2 UAV would be turboprop-powered. But that has not happened, meaning that there’s no indigenous turboprop engine in existence.
Therefore, in conclusion, it can only be inferred that: firstly, the Nirbhay is a turbofan-powered successor to the turbojet-powered Lakshya IF the ADE is the nodal R & D agency for developing it. Secondly, this PTA will be simulating the flight trajectories of both ground-launched and air-launched cruise missiles like the Babur & Ra’ad.
Prasun, here's a documentary on the Scorpene. The subtitles are a bit off though, but nice of interesting footage.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Vl0YgN1MkjU#at=380
It has been announced that Avibras will soon receive an order for another regiments worth of ASTROS.
To Spanky’s Blog: Yes, the JVs would help a lot, but that’s not happening right now. All that has happened is that the DRSUs have retained their right to become prime contractors for every programme, while the private-sector companies are limited to being only sub-contractors or vendors. This is most unhelpful. Direct competition is only advisable if the playing field is levelled, meaning a publicly listed HAL or BEL that are not owned & controlled by the MoD can compete evenhandedly with the likes of TATA or L & T.
ReplyDeleteAlso are the Special forces of the IA as trained as the Green Berets . Seals and the SAS? Are they divided into groups like that in the SAS with some specializing in mountain warfare , some in underwater operations , jungle warfare,etc or they are trained to do all of the above? Do they get extensive training in airdrop techniques like HAHO, HALO? Can they jump from a high altitude ac, open their parachute , and glide and navigate their way through the air for 60-70 Km deep inside enemy lines? Are they extensively trained in sabotage of critical enemy communication equipment and weapons such as ballistic and cruise missiles guided portion? Can they conduct deep and covert recon and are they experts in infiltration and exfiltration? Can they be compared to the Soviet Spetsnaz and the elite Vympel group?Are they expert marksmen? PLs shed some light on their capabilities.
ReplyDeleteTo FARIS: Very many thanks. Excellent footage & information indeed on the RMN Scorpenes.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@11.35PM: Regretably, I can't answer any of them due to my NCND agreement obligations.
Thanks Prasun!!! Thts a very good analysis. So Can I infer that Nirbhay would be a PTA simulating cruise missile trajectory?
ReplyDeletePRASUN pls tell what is the NCND agreements to which u are bound. U can tell every thing about military hardware ans also about nukes but u can't tell anything about our SF?
ReplyDeleteTo Spanky's Blog: Yes, that does appear to be the case.
ReplyDeleteTo Anon@11.13PM: Spelling out details about hardware--conventional or nuclear--is not the same as revealing tactics and operational matters. There's a huge difference.